Do you offer phone consultations?

Yes. Prior to scheduling your first session with me (also known as an assessment or an intake), we will need to schedule a complimentary 15-minute phone session to allow for introductions and discuss what you’re looking to accomplish in therapy. During the call, I can also answer any questions you have about me, my practice, my clinical style, and to collaborate on determining how I may be able to help you.

What can I expect during our first session?

Our first session will be approximately 50 to 60 minutes in duration. During that time, we will review your bio, psycho, and social history, and I will gather information to determine what your clinical needs may be. During this time, I will get a chance to know you better, and you will get a chance to know my style. At the end of the evaluation, I will provide you with some recommendations, and if we both feel it is a good fit, we will discuss how I can best help you achieve your therapy goals.

Goodness-of-fit is absolutely essential in therapy, and if I am not the right fit for you and/or your clinical needs, I will be happy to help you with the process of finding a therapist who is a better match for you.

If we are a good fit, how often will I see you for therapy?

I believe that structure, routine, and consistency are important to your success in therapy. I also believe that therapy is most effective when it is provided on a weekly basis. As such, I only offer therapy on a weekly basis.

Is therapy confidential?

In general, the law protects the confidentiality of all communications between a client and psychotherapist. No information is disclosed without prior written permission from the client.

However, there are some exceptions required by law to this rule. These exceptions include:

1. If a therapist reasonably suspects or confirms the abuse of a child, dependent adult, or elder, the therapist is mandated by law to report this to the appropriate authorities immediately.

2. If a client intends to harm himself/herself/themself. The therapist will make every effort to work with the individual to ensure their safety. However, if an individual does not cooperate, additional measures may need to be taken.

3. If a client is threatening serious bodily harm to another person, the therapist is mandated by law to notify the police.

By using insurance, the client allows their insurance company to access confidential information. This is the only way insurance will pay for sessions.

Lastly, if a client’s records are subpoenaed by a court of law for any reason, your therapist will exercise therapist-client privilege and your therapist will contact you first to consult with you prior to releasing any records.

Which forms of payment do you accept?

I accept payment via all major credit cards, and HSA/FSA cards.

How are cancellations and rescheduling handled by Matter Mental Health?

As I offer therapy via secure (HIPAA-compliant) telehealth on the SimplePractice platform, your treatment should not be interrupted by acute illness, child care difficulties, erratic scheduling, etc.

If circumstances require that you cancel or need to reschedule your appointment, advance notice of at least 48-business-hours is required to avoid a Late Cancellation fee. For example, this means that an appointment on Monday at 10:00 A.M. would need to be cancelled or rescheduled prior to 10:00 A.M. on the preceding Thursday.

If I have an open slot and we are able to reschedule an appointment in the same week, you can avoid the fee; however, rescheduling is based on my availability and solely at my discretion.

What is your No Show/Late Cancellation fee?

If you do not show to your session or you late cancel, you will be responsible for the cost of the session at my private pay rate.

If a 60-minute block was scheduled, the fee is $175. If a 90-minute block was scheduled, the fee is $250.

For clients who are using insurance, please be advised that No Show/Late Cancellation fees are not negotiated with insurance companies, and as such, they are not reimbursable by insurance.

Can you provide therapy for my child? How about my 17-year old?

I only provide therapy to adults. I offer individual therapy and couples therapy exclusively to adults.

When your 17-year-old reaches the age of 18, and if they are sincerely interested in therapy, they can reach out to me personally to consult and see if I am the right fit for them.

Can you provide therapy for my spouse/sibling/parent?

Due to the confidential nature of my work and my niche in working with survivors of narcissistic abuse and emotional manipulation, I hold strong boundaries when it comes to family members who wish to be involved in a client’s treatment.

I do not consult by proxy, nor do I schedule clients by proxy. If you have a family member or other loved one who you believe will benefit from therapy, they will need to contact me personally and arrange for a consult when they are motivated to do so and when they feel they are ready to do so. This is not negotiable.

Do you accept insurance for couples therapy sessions?

I do not accept insurance for couples therapy. Most insurance companies will deny coverage for couples therapy. The few who do pay significantly less than they would pay for individual therapy. Furthermore, insurance companies only pay for sessions up to one hour in duration, and any extra time is not compensated.

I offer 80 to 85-minute therapy sessions (90-minute block) as both individuals each deserve their own space to share their thoughts and emotions and each also deserve time to process during the same session. It has been my professional experience that the extra time allows both partners to feel heard, feel seen, and have their concerns attended to during a couples therapy session.

Do you accept insurance for EMDR therapy?

I do not offer EMDR therapy to clients who use insurance. The reason is because the EMDR model strongly recommends a 90-minute session, and that is how the model was created. Unfortunately, insurance companies will not reimburse for sessions that extend past one hour in duration. There are many therapists who attempt to use EMDR in shorter session windows. I was trained by the EMDR Institute, and they strongly discourage this practice. In the past, I have tried to treat clients with EMDR during 60-minute session blocks, but I found that those sessions were always rushed and the limited time was not sufficient for adequate processing to occur before it was time to close the session down. I believe that my clients deserve therapy that is not only effective, but also safe. As such, I no longer offer EMDR to clients who are limited to 60-minute sessions by the constraints which come with using insurance.

What is a Good Faith Estimate?

Under Section 2799B-6 of the Public Health Service Act (45 CFR 149.610), health care providers and facilities are required to provide individuals who are not enrolled in an insurance plan or a Federal health care program, and who are not seeking to file a claim with their insurance via superbill or via an in-network provider, with a “Good Faith Estimate” of expected charges upon request or at the time of scheduling health care items and services.

A “Good Faith Estimate” explains how much your medical and mental health care will cost over the period of time you are in treatment. Under this law, health care providers need to give patients who do not have insurance or who are choosing to not use their insurance an estimate of the expected charges for medical services, including psychotherapy services.

It is important to note that if you are submitting claims to insurance for an out-of-network provider, you will not receive a Good Faith Estimate, as you are using insurance to pay for the entirety of treatment or a portion of it.

For more information, please visit www.cms.gov/nosurprises

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